Former Methacton teacher admits to inappropriate relationship with teenage girl

By
Carl Hessler Jr., The Mercury

Monday, December 10, 2012

NORRISTOWN — A former Methacton High School teacher has admitted to engaging in an inappropriate relationship, which authorities alleged included “sex chats,” with a 17-year-old girl.

Sean Michael McCullough, 43, of the 100 block of Hunsicker Drive, Collegeville, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to a felony charge of disseminating obscene materials to a minor and a misdemeanor charge of corruption of a minor in connection with his alleged contact with the girl between September 2009 and 2010.

Senior Judge William T. Nicholas deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about McCullough, who remains free on bail pending sentencing. McCullough, who is represented by defense lawyer Stephen M. Geday, faces a possible maximum sentence of six-to-12 years in prison on the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Samantha Cauffman, who leads the district attorney’s sex crimes prosecution unit, vowed to seek prison time against McCullough.

“Part of that relationship involved him sending her sexually-charged, written materials, as well as pictures of himself,” Cauffman alleged. “He was a trusted teacher. The community, this girl’s parents and his colleagues trusted that he would guide this young girl into adulthood, not take advantage of her for his own sexual purposes.”

When authorities interviewed McCullough he admitted that he and the girl engaged in sexual-related activity, “including sex chats through emails, text messages and Facebook messages, mutual masturbation, exchanging of nude photographs, kissing and fondling each other” while the girl was 17, according to the arrest affidavit.

McCullough stated that all of the sexual-related contact occurred either at his home or at “some park” during June and July 2010, arrest papers indicate.

The girl, now 20, is a 2010 graduate of Methacton High School.

Authorities alleged McCullough continued to have improper contact with the girl even after reading an article in The Mercury about the illegality of such relationships.

“…was buying bagels and the front page of the Mercury is an article about harsher penalties for teacher/student trysts (then it added coaches, too). I started thinking too much…,” McCullough, allegedly wrote to the girl in a private Facebook message on June 22, 2010, according to court documents.

The Mercury article that McCullough, a former English teacher at the high school, allegedly referenced outlined a legislative proposal by county lawmakers and prosecutors to increase penalties for those teachers and coaches who engage in sexual relationships with those under 18.

An investigation began in May, when relatives of the girl reported to township police that they discovered email, Facebook and text messages of a sexual nature that pointed to an improper relationship between McCullough and the girl while the girl was 17 and still a student at Methacton High School, according to the criminal complaint filed by Lower Providence Detective Michael Jackson. McCullough also allegedly exchanged nude photographs with the girl.

Excerpts of alleged messages sent by McCullough and the girl between June 15 and July 26, 2010, were contained in court records. In them McCullough discusses what the girl is wearing, the girl’s body and various sexual activity, according to court documents.

“Don’t be coy – lose the shirt and panties,” McCullough allegedly wrote to the girl on June 22, 2010, according to court documents. In another June 24 message, McCullough allegedly wrote, “You are turning me into a dirty old man.”

During police interviews, the girl denied having any physical contact with McCullough before she turned 18. However, she admitted that she and McCullough did “talk dirty” to one another during private Facebook encounters while she was still 17.

“She stated that they would discuss various sex acts…and then engage in mutual masturbation…while reading their messages,” Jackson alleged in the criminal complaint.

At the time of McCullough’s arrest, Methacton School District officials released a statement from Superintendent Timothy J. Quinn who said, “The safety and well-being of our students is our primary concern at all times. The district moved quickly to place this individual on administrative leave and is cooperating fully with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and the Lower Providence Police Department.”